No Kidding - Stepping Over the Line

Excuses - we all find them handy to use at times. What are the stories we tell ourselves? Are we such good storytellers that we then actually believe the story? I consider myself to be a pretty good storyteller. I'm also fairly trustworthy, so I'm even more likely to believe my own story!

I'd been telling myself that I intuitively know when I am in my target heart rate zone when training on my bike or running. I know because I can gauge my perceived effort. I also told myself I could not afford to buy a new heart rate monitor, especially since I was getting along fine without one. I also told myself that I already train hard. I've run 53 marathons. I know what hard effort feels like. I don't need a heart rate monitor to tell me that. Or do I?

This Christmas I asked for a heart rate monitor from my husband. He got me one! Then the heart rate monitor sat unopened on my dresser. I almost felt like it was watching me each time I would pass by, wondering when I would step over the line and commit.

Time for some new creative storytelling. I told myself I was too busy to read the instruction booklet in order to figure out how to set the appropriate target zones. I will get around to it eventually, when I have some free time.

Here's the reality - I already have the time if I'm really committed to it.

It's time to be called into action. Am I ready to hear the call? I've done a great job of not hearing the call before. I had an old heart rate monitor with a dead battery. My triathlon coach diligently sent me training schedules last year with all the numbers for my target heart rate zones nicely calculated for me to follow.

I followed the workouts. I didn't know if I was training hard enough, because I chose not to worry about the lack of heart rate monitoring. In other words, I wasn't totally committed to achieving my goals. I didn't give myself every opportunity for success. I was my own "self-limiter".

Today I stepped over the line. Today I committed to my goals for 2008.

Today I took read the heart rate monitor instruction booklet. I figured out how to use it, which buttons to push and how to input my target heart rate zones...

and then I got on the trainer to do my first bike workout wearing my heart rate monitor. It feels good. I'll see you at the finish line.